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DAY OF THE CAT
Everybody in Australia—we’ve got a headstart on International Caterpillar Celebration Day!
If you own or operate a Cat, get them tracks churning. Send a smokey shout out o’ love to your peeps worldwide.
UPDATE. Reader LJ writes:
In honour of St Pancake and the Caterpillar company generally, my company is today placing a purchase order for this fine piece of equipment, a D10N refurbished to D10R standard.
It is much larger than the IDF-modified D7 or D8 that St Pancake attacked, and weighs around 82 tonnes fully kitted.
Cats rule!
MENDOZAAHHHHH!!!
Wait, that’s wrong. Lemme try again.
Ahem
. . .
BULLDOZAAHHHHH!!!
/McBain
Posted by tachyonshuggy on 2005 04 13 at 03:03 PM • permalinkSeems like a good time to buy shares in caterpillar.
Posted by Kofi Annan on 2005 04 13 at 06:21 PM • permalinkgary — Shoulda got the turbo model… or the stealth paint job…
Posted by richard mcenroe on 2005 04 13 at 08:56 PM • permalinkHow about listening to the Rachel Corrie Memorial I-Pod Playlist while you’re driving that new D10R?
Janis Joplin with Big Brother & the Holding Company, “Caterpillar”
Jennifer Gentle, “Caterpillar Song”
Drive-By Truckers, “Bulldozers and Dirt”
The Scientifics, “My Bulldozer”
Iggy Pop, “Bulldozer”
Mojo Watson, “Run Rachel Run”
Donuts, “Caterpillar Blood”
Dave Matthews Band, “Crush”
Bruce Springsteen, “Crush On You”
Champ, “Squashed”
Badly Drawn Boy, “Rachel’s Flat”I still have a nostalgic affection for the Combat Engineer Vehicle. Bulldozer blade AND a honking big cannon…
Posted by richard mcenroe on 2005 04 13 at 10:30 PM • permalinkSortelli — Congratulations, you’re now officially too old to post at DU (you’re what, seventeen?)
Posted by richard mcenroe on 2005 04 13 at 10:49 PM • permalinkAt my workplace we cast the drive hubs for this bad boy. I’ve never been more proud.
That’s nothing.
This guy drove a Caterpillar grader right around Australia. (See news story 1 Jul 2004.)
Including across the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Westgate Bridge.
richard—don’t tell me you were a combat engineer! Ah, the CEV! That 90 pound projectile was DEVASTATING!!!! And almost as much fun as running any dozer through the terrain.
Posted by The_Real_JeffS on 2005 04 14 at 01:07 AM • permalinkThe Real Jeff S — Nah, leg and mech infantry. They were fun to work with, though…
Posted by richard mcenroe on 2005 04 14 at 01:16 AM • permalinkThe Real Jeff S — Besides, who wants to be an engineer? The handles on the shovels are way too long…
Posted by richard mcenroe on 2005 04 14 at 01:20 AM • permalinkNice link, richard! As an update to the FAS article, the CEV is completely out of service. Alas, there’s been no viable replacement fielded, although there have been some, ummmmmm, imaginative concepts put forth.
As to who wants to be an engineer.....I are an engineer! :-)
Go dozer, GO!
Posted by The_Real_JeffS on 2005 04 14 at 01:35 AM • permalinkregardless of what your opinion was about the young woman who was crushed, I think that making some huge joke about her death is in extemely poor taste.
Posted by mushtaq_omar on 2005 04 14 at 02:17 AM • permalinkThe Real Jeff S — If you ain’t kneelin’, you ain’t diggin’. And what could be more fun than an 11B E-2 with a block of C4?
Posted by richard mcenroe on 2005 04 14 at 02:31 AM • permalinkAnd what could be more fun than an 11B E-2 with a block of C4?
A platoon of 12Bs with several hundred pounds of C4!!! FIRE IN THE HOLE!
Posted by The_Real_JeffS on 2005 04 14 at 03:09 AM • permalink"FIRE IN THE HOLE!”
When doubt...double the amount.
Engineers - we dig so you don’t have to.
Posted by deadparrot on 2005 04 14 at 03:21 AM • permalinkregardless of what your opinion was about the young woman who was crushed, I think that making some huge joke about her death is in extemely poor taste.
I don’t think so, mushtaq. It’s clear that Rachel died because of her stupidity. Ye gods, all she had to do was move. This was as stupid as playing Russian roulette with 5 chambers loaded, and makes her a clear candidate for the Darwin Award. Suicide by stupidity is not tragic.
I think that Rachel just wanted to be a human shield, and stood (for a short time) for what she believed in.
LOL, Kaboom! Nice turn of the phrase there…
Posted by The_Real_JeffS on 2005 04 14 at 03:23 AM • permalinkJeffs,
Would you be similarly comfortable if I decided to start making jokes about the death of American soldiers in Iraq? (I never would)
It could be argued that many of the young men and women serving are poorly educated, and died as a result of their choice to join the army - A choice that was theirs alone to make.
Posted by mushtaq_omar on 2005 04 14 at 05:02 AM • permalinkI’m [mostly] with Mushtaq_Omar on this one, gags at the expense of someone who died is a little bit too much bad taste.
That said, she did put herself in danger, and as The_Real_Jeffs said, is probably a candidate for thi year’s Darwin Award.
Those that attempt to penalise catapillar for her death, otoh, deserve all the pilloring they get.No, mushtaq, I would not be comfortable with that, for much the reasons that you state.
But I don’t put Rachel “The Human Shield” Corrie on the same moral level as the soldiers who gave their lives in defense of our nation. I grant you that there is a fine line between Rachel and our fallen soldiers, but there is a line between them (and their philosophies) none the less.
If nothing else, the soldiers died to liberate the Iraqis from first Hussein, and now the terrorists. Rachel, on the other hand, died to support terrorists (or at least the supporters of terrorism)....and had the freedom to express those misguided beliefs because Americans of earlier generations died as well. Mockery of that irony is quite appropriate.
This attitude is a reflection of my own beliefs and prejudices. History will judge me, but I hold my ground on this one.
Posted by The_Real_JeffS on 2005 04 14 at 05:46 AM • permalinkHistory will judge us both Jeffs.
It must be some ungodly hour over there. Shouldn’t you be asleep?
Posted by mushtaq_omar on 2005 04 14 at 06:29 AM • permalinkJust, so, Mushtaq. “And unto the next generation....”, if I remember the quotation correctly.
Actually, it’s mid-afternoon here. But that’s a good idea, going to sleep. Sadly, I can’t execute that for several hours.
Posted by The_Real_JeffS on 2005 04 14 at 06:53 AM • permalinkThe Real Jeff S — Want to see a sergeant move REAL fast? An E-2 with the clacker in his hand. saying, “What does this do?”
Posted by richard mcenroe on 2005 04 14 at 11:18 AM • permalink[I]It could be argued that many of the young men and women serving are poorly educated ...
It could be argued that Cadbury Eggs are a health food, too. If you want to actually put forth an argument that the Coalition forces are largely comprised of semi-literate dupes, I’m sure various of us here would cheerfully give it the drubbing it deserves. ‘It could be argued’ is just weaseling.
I do, however, agree with you re: Rachel Corrie. Her death, even as due to her own terminal folly as it was, was a tragedy. Young people have always done stupid things, and quite likely always will. Most of us survive them and grow up into wiser, better people. She didn’t, and now the potential of her life will never be realized.
Richard—yeah, that would make ME run as well! Probably faster.
Posted by The_Real_JeffS on 2005 04 14 at 01:07 PM • permalink
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Drove a D 7 once, I think it was. Didn’t like it. Not fast enough. Gave Rachel enough time to get out of the way, for once.